This Just In

This Just In

October 15, 2006

1 vote's plenty for most on airport board

Things got testy at the Sanford Airport Authority board meeting last week. Board members Whitey Eckstein and Robbie Robertson complained about the negative fallout from the board's decision in September to approve a hefty raise for airport president Larry Dale. Robertson, the vice chairman, tried unsuccessfully to get a vote to rescind the raise, which he later explained was intended simply to reaffirm the board's unanimous support for the raise. Still with us? Robertson wasn't happy that he couldn't get support for his re-vote motion. "If I ever bring up another motion and I can't get a second for discussion, I will walk away from this board," he said.

From the team player

Whitey Eckstein, a former Sanford city commissioner, put out a mixed message about the vote to raise Larry Dale's salary and the performance of the board. He repeated concerns he raised in September about the raise, but made clear he voted in favor of it because he is a "team player." He also said he was unhappy about board chairman Geoffrey Longstaff's handling of problems with former board member Lon Howell. He ended his rambling commentary with, "If I was a member of the City Commission, I would have fired all of us."

A bit late, are we?

Superintendent Bill Vogel has selected the bargaining teams to negotiate this year's contracts with the Seminole school district's four employee unions, including teachers. Only problem is those contracts were settled and approved last month. But Vogel wants the record to show who was permitted to attend the closed-door executive sessions with the School Board to discuss employee pay and other contract issues. The law, you see, is very specific on who is allowed in.

Behind closed doors . . .

Nobody outside the select few knows what goes on in those School Board executive sessions for negotiations. But School Board Chairman Jeanne Morris said recently that talk about possible budget cuts because of lower student enrollment affected the board's discussion of how big a raise to give teachers. Budget talks behind closed doors? Heavens, no, said Superintendent Bill Vogel, that would be illegal.

. . . Or in dark parking lots

Seminole School Board members are aghast that anyone would think they violate state open-meeting laws by discussing public business outside public meetings -- an issue raised in the recent board elections. But what do board members talk about when you see them huddled in corners of the School Board office before meetings or in the dark parking lot afterward? Mostly grandchildren, says member Sandy Robinson. Member Barry Gainer, who announced last week he soon will be a grandfather, apparently now will have something to contribute.

Sign of the times

Casselberry Mayor Bob Goff is bent out of shape -- or rather, some campaign signs in his yard are. Goff called Casselberry police last week, complaining that someone had destroyed eight of City Commission candidate Alan Peltz's campaign signs in the mayor's yard. "They basically just came up and broke the frames off the side so that they weren't usable," police Lt. Dennis Stewart said. Peltz is running against incumbent Commissioner Susan Doerner. Police had no suspects in the case.

Call for Mr. McMullen

We can't help but be amused by a campaign flier for Earl McMullen, the former Casselberry commissioner hoping to get back into office. Despite repeated calls, McMullen couldn't be reached by a Sentinel reporter or the newspaper's editorial board, which makes endorsements. But McMullen apparently has no problem quoting Sentinel Lake County columnist Lauren Ritchie. On one of his campaign fliers, he quotes Ritchie from one of her recent columns, in which she said, "adults make their own decisions about integrity . . . Those running in the upcoming election should be truthful." Even if he's not talking to us, we're glad he's at least reading us. Ritchie's column had nothing to do with McMullen, by the way, who is running against Sandi Solomon for Seat 3.

Happy anniversary

Palmetto Avenue Baptist Church in Sanford will celebrate its 40th anniversary with an old-fashioned dinner Oct. 22. Joining current and former members in the celebration will be the Rev. G. E. Hodges, founding pastor of the church and now a traveling evangelist. The church is also inviting back singers and musicians who have performed in the past. Festivities begin at 10 a.m. at the church, at 2626 Palmetto Ave. Capping off the day will be a performance of the play Once to Die at 6 p.m.